On the evening that Mrs. Lansdowne was thus occupied, John, her son,
who had been out on the bay all the afternoon, rushed past the
drawing-room door, bounded up the long staircase; entered his room,
situated on the same floor, not far from his mother's, and rang the
bell violently.

In a few minutes, Aunt Esther, an ancient black woman, who had long
been in the service of the family, made her appearance at the door,
and inquired what "Massa John" wanted.

"I want some fire here, Aunt Esther. I've been out on the bay,
fishing. Our smack got run down, and I've had a ducking; I feel
decidedly chilly".

"Law sakes!" said she, in great trepidation, "yer orter get warm right
away", and hastened down stairs.

A stout, hale man, soon entered the room, with a basket of wood and a
pan of coals, followed immediately by Aunt Esther, who began to
arrange them on the hearth.

Aunt Esther's complexion was of a pure shining black, her features of
the size and cut usually accompanying that hue, and lighted up by a
contented, sunshiny expression, which truly indicated the normal
state of her mind. A brilliant, yellow turban sat well upon her woolly
locks and a blue and red chintz dress, striped perpendicularly,
somewhat elongated the effect of her stout dumpy figure. She had taken
care of John during his babyhood and early boyhood, and he remained to